CONTROLLER
JAMES W. KNOX
COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF WORKS
LEVI BIRD DUFF
DIRECTOR

The shape of the bearing plates of the previous bridge are visible in the abutment on the Neville Island end of the current bridge. This bridge replaced an 1894 through truss bridge which was one of two built to allow a streetcar connection between Coraopolis (Middletown) and Pittsburgh via Neville Island (Montour Island). The old bridge had three truss spans with flat top chords.

Estimated lengths of the spans (from Fleming Park to Neville Island): 155ft deck girder over 3 tracks of CSX RR; concrete pier at river bank; 155ft deck girder span [33ft of this span is a cantilevered continuation of the beam forming the first span, the remaining 122ft is suspended by a hinge at the south end and bearing on the pier at the north end]; concrete pier; 390ft subdivided Warren through truss main span; 155ft deck girder simple span; concrete pier at Neville river bank; 33ft deck girder simple span.

The Ohio River back channel is about 590 feet wide. Because the bridge crosses at an angle which creates a 65 degree skew, the over-water length of the bridge is about 660 feet.